Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary (1997)

Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the ... See full summary »

Director:

S.R. Bindler

Stars:

Sid Allen, Brent Baskin, Greg Cox

3 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Sid Allen	...	Himself (Longview Partnership)
Brent Baskin	...	Contest Judge
Greg Cox	...	Himself (contestant)
J.C. Crum	...	Himself (Jack Long Nissan)
Janis Curtis	...	Herself (contestant)
J.D. Drew	...	Himself (contestant)
Tom Felker	...	Himself (contestant)
David Grotheim	...	Contest Judge
Blake Long	...	Himself (Jack Long Nissan)
Kelli Mangrum	...	Herself (contestant)
Mike Marris	...	Himself (judge)
Raul Martinez	...	Himself (contestant)
Jan Maynard	...	Herself (marketing director / contest supervisor)
Ronald McCowan	...	Himself (contestant)
Kerri Parker	...	Herself (contestant)

Storyline

Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more...

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Plot Keywords:

contest | truck | texas | motor car dealer | publicity stunt | 

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Taglines:

If you really want something, keep your hands on it.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hands on a Hard Body

Filming Locations:

Longview, Texas, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$90,965 (USA) (28 August 1998)

Gross:

$492,876 (USA) (11 June 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Idea Entertainment, J.K. Livin Productions, Wessex Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director 'Robert Altman' had planned to make a feature film based on this documentary, but died before the project could be realized.

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Quotes

Himself (1992 winner: I like to get down there earlier so my odds are higher.

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Connections

Referenced in Bernie (2011)

User Reviews

one of the year's 10 best

I don't want to scare anyone away with the "D" word, so let's just say that this non-fiction gem is one of the year's best movies and worth begging your video store manager to stock. Using a no-frills action-and-interview technique, director S. R. Bindler follows the fate of 23 Texans who enter a bizarre annual promotional contest run by the local Nissan dealer. The contestants are to stand around a blue pickup truck, with one hand touching it at all times, and the last one left standing (70-80 hours later) wins the truck. Yes, I did say this was non-fiction! Fortunately for Bindler (or perhaps through his expert handling of them) the contestants turn out to be a colorful cross section, and you soon find yourself picking favorites and even rooting for them! The film manages as much suspense as any sporting event, with a lot more curiosity. Also, some profound themes start creeping in. This movie is sure to invite comparisons with those of Errol Morris, due to the eccentricity of its subject, and those who like Morris's work will surely like this. But Bindler deserves credit for forging his own less flashy style, and for giving us this one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experience.